No. 51 THE VAIN PEN OF THE SCRIBES

Text: JEREMIAL 8:8, 9 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them.? (KJV)

Today, I would like to give you a message entitled “THE VAIN PEN OF THE SCRIBES.”

The text is taken from the book of Jeremiah. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple is written in this book. I think that the destruction is the sign of the judgment of the Church in the end time.

One of the reasons why I think so is that in the book of Daniel the things of Jeremiah are also described in relation to those of the 70 weeks. God may indicate these two books are interrelated because they are so written. The destruction of Jerusalem, the Church, in the end time is told in the prophecy of the 70 weeks of Daniel. Therefore, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple described in the book of Jeremiah so seems to include the prophecies concerning the Church.

Well, one of the reasons why Jerusalem should face the judgment of the Lord is because of “the vain pen of the scribes.” Those who record the words are translated as scribes in the King James Version and some other English versions. That is why, it is said to be “the vain pen of the scribes.”

This should be applied to the pen of the commentators of the Bible of this present day. Though the word of God has no mistake, it is considered to be as vain due to the pen of the scribes. That is the subject.

Does such a thing happen? Yes, it does. For example, it is written in the Bible, “and without a parable spake he not unto them.” But the commentaries of the Bible say that the descriptions of these kinds are overstatements. In this way, “the vain pen of the scribe” makes the word of God as vain.

It is often mentioned in the Bible that those who deal with the word of the Bible make the vain comments. Therefore, we should examine carefully whether they follow the true meaning of the Bible whenever we read the commentaries or take the opinions of them.

We also understand that the judgment to those who describe word of the Bible is severe when we reflect upon the Bible. For example, Jesus reproaches Pharisees and the scribes as serpents, or brood of vipers. And we also know that the judgment to the teachers is so severe as they are burned by fire according to the book of James.

It is written, “they have rejected the word of the Lord.” It is wondered why those who say, “the law of the Lord is with us” reject the word of the Lord, but the things like this may actually happen.

It is possible that they look to respect the word but they actually distort and reject the word.

Some instances show that many Bible commentators try to reject the words, the meanings and the parables that Jesus mentions. And they do not try to accept the other interpretations, sticking to the word like “private interpretation”.

As it is written, “lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?” the result of their practices would be just like the same. They will not be able to take the correct meaning of the word “the end time”, because it cannot be understood without the wisdom of God

To say that we must not use the parables or take the other interpretations but private interpretations only is just like we are bound our hands and legs, although the word truly means that they should not interpret the words by themselves only but refer to the other texts also. If they practice to interpret the prophecy of the end time in such a way, it means to us like we have to swim with our hand and legs bound. So, how can we go forward straightly?

As it is written, “what wisdom is in them?” we don’t have to be surprised by that those who practice the private interpretation cannot understand the prophecy of the end time.

It is the teaching of God for us to solve the parables, riddles, and to find out the secrets. They are the way and advise that God has given us for the purpose of our finding out the mysteries in the Bible. If they reject them, how can they reach to the right goal?

It is like the school teachers often give the advises to the students, saying, “You should memorize this formula or try to solve that question well.” If they neglect them, they may eventually fail in the examinations.

Whether or not they have made the words of God as vain or rejected them, it will be revealed in the last day.

“The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken;” indicates, as long as I understand, the destiny coming in the end time to those who try to interpret the Bible with the wisdom of this world.

The end time is the day of temptations, and also the day of tests. It looks like that nobody complain of or even God say nothing about it, although the word of God is perverted and made vain very much at the present time. Contrariwise, many Christians may nowadays even applaud such vain teachers. Yet, they will finally suffer the consequences from the distortion of the word of the Bible. It is then realized, “The wise men ashamed, they are dismayed and taken.”

Is the end time likened as the day of the graduation examination? Before it, anybody can say anything. “I am brilliant, or I understand all.” But, their wisdom is tested and disclosed at the day. When the end time comes, whatever they have interpreted to people or they have thought of will never come to pass. Then, the word of God “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken.,” will mean it.

In this end time day let’s do the will of God.

End.

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